UNESCO ‘to take care’ of Pak gurdwarasLudhiana, December 22
The United Nations Educational Social and Cultural Organisation, has said it would make arrangements for the proper maintenance of Sikh gurdwaras in Pakistan and initiate steps so that the cultural identity of the Sikhs was not “deliberately and systematically suppressed by our neighbour in the course of time.”

MALTA BOAT TRAGEDYEuropean Commission intervention soughtPhagwara, December 22
On the eve of completion of six years of the tragedy, the Malta Boat Tragedy Probe Mission has sought intervention of the European Commission for taking action against international mafia indulging in human trafficking and illegal migration and appealed for the extradition of those responsible for the tragedy that had occurred in the
Malta-Cicily channel on 25th December, 1996, in which about 300 youths from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka were drowned.

Making mockery of higher educationChandigarh, December 22
When university and college teachers themselves describe present-day higher education as a “commodity or commerce’’ and not as ‘’investment for future’’ something has surely gone wrong somewhere.

Vacancies of teachers to be filled soonRopar, December 22
The Punjab Government will soon fill 15,000 vacancies of teachers in schools across the state by forming district-level committees. The new policy and guidelines for filling the said posts would be implemented shortly.

UT, Amritsar, Patiala varsities get 5-star statusChandigarh, December 22
Panjab University, Chandigarh, along with Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar and Punjabi University, Patiala, are among the handful of universities which have been accredited as five-star institutions of higher learning by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council.

Mahila Congress to hold ‘jagriti’ meetingsJalandhar, December 22
To educate the masses about the adverse impacts of social evils like dowry and incidents of rape, the All-India Mahila Congress has decided to hold ‘jagriti’ conventions at all district headquarters in Punjab next year.

Vedanti honours kin of slain ultrasGhariala (Amritsar),
December 22
The Jathedar Akal Takht, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, while honouring five family members of slain Sikh militants, said today that it was the moral duty of the Sikh Panth to look after them.

The Jathedar Akal Takht, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, with the family members of slain Sikh
militants at Ghariala village in Amritsar district on
Sunday.
— Photo Rajiv Sharma

Gujral: my govt waived anti-terrorism loanKapurthala, December 22
Mr Inder Kumar Gujral, former Prime Minister of India, has clarified that he had already waived the anti-terrorism loan of Punjab amounting to Rs 8,600 crore during his tenure as the Prime Minister in 1997.

Names of voters missing from
listsFaridkot, December 22
The deletion of a large number of names from the voter lists, particularly in ward number 8 of the local nagar council, has caused resentment among those keen to contest the municipal poll to be held on January 23.

Colour, music at Xmas celebrationsJalandhar, December 22
Hundreds of devotees from all parts of the city and adjoining areas participated in a Christmas procession here today.
The devotees, clad in beautiful dresses, assembled at the local St Joseph’s Convent School grounds.

Bank speeds up renovation work
DC, architects express resentmentPatiala, December 21
The State Bank of Patiala, which is presently giving a facelift to its century-old headquarters, housed in a vintage building on the Mall Road, by fixing tiles on its facade, today accelerated the ongoing work, setting up lights to ensure that workers could work till late night.

Amardeep mela beginsNawanshahr, December 22
Amardeep Singh Shergill Memorial College, Mukandpur about 20 km, from here, started the four-day “Amardeep mela” to mark its ninth raising day as well the 29th birth anniversary of Amardeep Singh.

PM’s birthday
to be observed
as ‘Vijay Divas’Chandigarh, December 22
A meeting of the Punjab BJP office-bearers, former and present MPs, MLAs and district/mandal presidents held here today decided to observe the Prime Minister’s birthday on December 25 as ‘’Vijay Divas’’ to celebrate the party’s win in Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Polio patients await helpRampura Phul (Bathinda), December 22
While various agencies of the government and a large number of the NGOs have been claiming that polio had been eradicated from the region, over 10 polio-affected patients in one locality of this town have been putting a question mark over the seriousness with which these drives had been undertaken.

PPCB teams to check rice mills for pollutionMansa, December 22
The Punjab Pollution Control Board has formed teams to check 433 rice mills and 342 sella rice plants in the state. The teams are to submit their reports to the PPCB by December 31. Mills found to be violating pollution laws will be dealt with sternly.

Narrow escape for DTOMansa, December 22
Mr Mohan Lal Sharma, District Transport Officer, had a harrowing time while on duty last night.
A truck of a private transport company of Patiala was signalled to stop by a party headed by the DTO in at about 1 a.m.

Eye camp heldBathinda, December 22
Dr H.S. Hayer, an eye surgeon, examined 217 patients and operated upon 11 of them for cataract at a two-day eye care camp organised by the Divine Eye Research Foundation at Talwandi Sabo.

Raped girl dies after abortionAmritsar, December 22
The district police today registered a case against Lakhbir Singh of Naushehra Colony for allegedly raping a 15-year-old of the same area.
According to information, the girl had illicit relations with the suspect and became pregnant.

Favouritism in promotions allegedBathinda, December 22
Mr Harmit Singh, general secretary, PWD Field and Workshop Workers Union, Bathinda unit, in a press note issued here yesterday alleged that an officer of the department had tried to conduct a written test concerning promotions on a holiday to favour some candidates.

Two booked on charge of defrauding manGurdaspur, December 22
The police has booked two persons for extorting large sums of money from a person on the promise to send him to Australia and secure a good job for him there. Mr Varinder Kumar, SSP briefing newspersons here today, identified one of the accused as Jasbir Singh, resident of Khan Khanna, in Nawanshahr district.

Charas seizedGurdaspur, December 22
The Pathankot police has arrested Bhagwan Dass residents of Kothe Pandattan village under Pathankot sub-division and seized 1 kg of charas from his possession, that he had smuggled in from J & K.

Teachers to oppose govt moveRopar, December 22
The Government Teachers Union, Punjab, will oppose the government move to recast education directorate in the state. Mr Sukhdev Singh
Khattra, general secretary of the union, stated this in press note issued here today.

Law College in Faridkot
soonFaridkot, December 22
The local Gurdwara Godri Sahib Baba Farid Management Society plans to set up Baba Farid Law College here. The boy has acquired land on the Faridkot-Kotkapura road and the construction on the complex has started.

School to have martyrs’ memorialKapurthala, December 22
The local Sainik School Old Boys Association today organised a annual meet in sainik school in memory of those defence personnel who laid down their lives for the sake of the country.

300 students awarded
degreesPhagwara, December 22
Three hundred degrees were given to graduates and postgraduates at the 27th convocation-cum-annual prize distribution function of the local Kamla Nehru College for Women today. Mr Justice
N.K. Sood of the Punjab and Haryana High Court was the chief guest. He unveiled a bust of late
B.K. Sardana, one of the founders of the college, and dedicated the college auditorium to the memory of the visionary.